1. The Field of the Disclosure
Generally, this disclosure relates to surgical anastomosis. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to devices, systems, methods that related to the mechanical coupling of vasculature, natural or synthetic, in a medical setting.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Anastomosis is the connection of the vessels within a body. While it may refer generally to conduits within a body, anastomosis as used herein may refer to circulatory anastomosis, in which vascular tissue may be connected or reconnected. The circulatory system is very complex and its proper function is critical to a patient's health and wellbeing. However, a surgeon may need to bypass or modify a patient's circulatory system to provide proper therapeutic treatments.
Unfortunately, the vasculature of a patient consists of small conduits that can be difficult to handle and manipulate properly, even when considered independent of the small incisions, bodily fluids present, and other complicating factors that commonly occurring during procedures in an operating room. Blood vessels may be relatively small and difficult to handle properly in order to perform common methods of connecting tissue, such as suturing. Furthermore, the small structures of the vasculature may not be suitable for other connection methods, such as surgical staples, as the staples would damage the walls of the blood vessel or constrict flow therethrough.
Conventional microsurgical vessel anastomosis is hand suturing the two cut ends of an artery or vein together using ultrafine techniques with the assistance of an operating microscope. This technique requires specialized training, is time consuming, is expensive when considering doctor and operating room time, and is subject to a great degree of human error.